it will be done in a holistic way with a strong and empowered chancellor who works with, with parents and teachers. >> wow. what does that mean? michelle rhee joins us live this hour. the latest on the american hiker just freed from iranian prison and pleaing for the release of her fiancee and friend still jailed in teheran. good afternoon, everyone. andrea mill el is on assignment. primaries sending shock waves through the gop. an establishment pick has gone down in defeat. this time, the tea party candidate christine o'donnell coming out of nowhere to send congressman mike castle packing. the republicans' dream of retaking the senate may be gone, too. "the washington post" managing editor of postpolitics tonight come and also a msnbc contributor and jonathan alter is an analyst and national affairs columnist for "newsweek"

magazine and author of "the promi promise." what a night in politics. unbelievable stuff. jonath jonathan, i spoke with the national senatorial committee chairman saying we are behind her, sending her the mass numb $42,000 from the committee. chairman cornyn sending her a check about his pac. what's this all disunity? [ inaudible ] chris, i can't hear jonathan so let me ask you about that. >> i get the first crack. >> reflection and change overnight after some within the committee saying, we won't support her. now they're sending her money. >> well, norah, this is the bare minimum. they're sending her money but this isn't about delaware, frankly. i talked to a bunch of people last night, some people this

morning. this race is falling well, well off the radar screen and focus energy on connecticut, wisconsin, california, other places they feel like they have a better chance. they're not -- i don't think going to run ads in delaware. but why are they doing it? because they don't want the tea party nationally mad at them. jon cornyn with number of run-ins in states with the tea party movement and doing what we can for christine o'donnell and then look at the polls abe make an assessment. they don't think she's going to be competitive and covering their bass so they don't enflame the tea party rift that's clearly going to cost them a seat. >> but you have the chair of the state delaware party has said that she's delusional. that she couldn't be elected dogcatcher. karl rove is questioning her character. calling her nutty. and here's how christine o'donnell responded this morning when asked about that.

listen. >> when we started gaining momentum and we started gaining credibility in this race, it made the republican establishment look like lazy people who did not care about their principles. but i hope that we can put that behind this because if they're really serious about winning, i was ahead in the general election according to rasmussen before the republican cannibalism started so if they were serious about winning, we could repair the damage done and move forward and that's the challenge i put out to them. >> jonathan, interesting choice of words, isn't it? republican kahnalism. >> amazing. call it cannibalism but they cannot keep this at bay. this is part of the politics for at least the next two years. through the 2012 election. this struggle between the different elements within the republican party. it doesn't necessarily mean although it's good news for democrats in delaware right now, doesn't necessarily mean good news for democrats nationally

over the next couple of years because the republicans could, you know, bind up some of these wounds and because the tea party folks are not largely motivated by social issues, the binding up of the wounds might be easier if the republicans move forward to dominate a genuine fiscal conservative for president so these wounds are not permanent but they in the short term are very damaging and i do think that they've ended the republican's hopes of retaking the senate. >> i think that's a fascinating point because we saw newt gingrich dweet this morning about christine o'donnell. mitt romney pledged support behind her. i want to read something that mark halperin written. she is the canary in the coal mine for bloodletting likely costing the party one senate seat in november and if they don't build a bigger tent, the price republicans will pay will be a whole lot higher starting november 3rd into the new

congress and trying to beat obama in 2012. chris, what about that imp implications for 2012? >> jon then's exactly right. look. the 2012 primary season is over. there's a primary in hawaii on saturday but the focus on the democratic side, a governor nor's race there but 2012, this matters. if you are sarah palin who by the way endorsed o'donnell and ayotte ahead, you are jim demint that endorsed o'donnell, you are rick perry in texas. you look and say the tea party has at least much power as the party establishment. why wouldn't i get in this race in 2012. >> interesting. >> absolutely. i think palin's in it and o'donnell could be, you know, a precursor of fore taste of the 2012 presidential where the republican party establishment is extremely uncomfortable with the idea of nominating sarah palin for president but she gets it. >> all right. i'm wondering what poppy bush is

thinking today. george h.w. bush miked mike castle. we'll see. nice to see both of you. thanks so much. >> thanks. turning to the other big issue facing the country, the economy. the president faces increasing pressure to get the recovery going. in michigan, the unemployment rate over 13% and governor jennifer granholm even has a tax amnesty project. more on this, governor granholm joins us live here in washington. good to see you. thank you for joining us. >> you bet. >> your state, it's really tough. what are you doing? >> well, we are really leveraging what the president has done with the recovery act. and you know, when i watch what's happening politically across the country, the debate about should we spend, should we not spend, when and how do you attack the govebudget? i have cut more out of spending

as a governor as a percentage. >> what happened to this summer of recovery? it was the o 'bummer of recovery. >> i can tell you michigan is an example of a state that has smartly used that. so for example, two days ago we had the opening of a battery factory to produce the batteries for the electric vehicle. that's one factory. there are 16 companies that are producing batteries now in michigan. that wouldn't have been here but for the recovery act but the 16 companies are going to be creating 62,000 jobs. that's spending. right? that's government spending but it's with in partnership with the private sector. so public/private partnerships to grow jobs, that's the kind of spending that we should be doing to get the recovery going and if you have the politics of growth, versus politics of contraction and i mean growth of the economy that will reduce your deficit.

>> and there's question, too, about the strategic and focused decision of the white house coming to the economy. austan goolsbee, let's see how jon stewart framed his debut on some of the sunday shows and get your reaction. listen. >> goolsbee, you're the new face of the obama summer of recovery. spin us with some happy talk. >> this recession is the deepest in our lifetimes. >> i don't think the unemployment rate will be coming down significantly any time in the near future. i don't expect it to go down appreciably. the labor market is significantly weakened, has been for sometime. >> oh. i'm sorry. i was -- i was just making a ramen noodle noose. >> i mean, really. i mean, really. i mean, where's the happy talk

from the administration? i mean, there's no end in sight according to austan about the numbers. >> i think you have to be realistic. you can't be all bright eyed and bushy tailed. >> but that's why the democratic spaert blamed. >> that's exactly right. you're exactly right and that's why the president going to places around the country where there are specific stories of companies that have come or grown and people that are in jobs that wouldn't be in jobs but for the president's actions, that's critical. >> let me ask you about the extension of the bush tax cuts. the cbo estimated if you do a one-year extension of the tax cuts to the wealthiest americans, the top 2%, of course, those making $250,000 a year, that gdp would actually double. why not have a one-year or two-year extension of the bush tax cuts? >> the cbo said if you want to stimulate growth that the tax cuts to the wealthiest is actually the least effective of all the stimulative measures,

that if you stimulate the economy, making sure that you are partnering with business and giving them -- >> what about your companies that are subject to the companies to pay more? aren't you worried about this them? >> 3% of small businesses that fit into that category. >> that's stale lot. >> 97% who don't and the point is if you can have a -- i'm only interested in what works. if it worked, i would be all about. what will put pooh 'em to work and what the cbo has said is giving access to capital to small businesses that is important through, for example, the small business lending bill that is now cleared the first hurdle in the senate. that's great because i can tell you in michigan, we have the suppliers to the auto industry to invest in order to diversify but the investment is in machining so they can move to a different sort of area of the economy but if they don't have access to capital they can't do that. those kind of measures will help business grow and that's what they need. >> governor, thank you. i do wish we had more time. i think we need to convene a

discussion with political officials and small businesses, you know, in a way that's televised to get a real sense about -- as this administration says, small businesses are the engine for this economy. thanks so much, governor. good to see you. coming up, new details in the bail posted for american hiker sarah shourd's release of an iranian prison. tropical storm karl stirring up trouble as it bears down on mexico. and will a new documentary about the crisis in the classroom, what about that? d.c. public schools chancellor will join us live here in the studio. ♪

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all of my efforts starting today will go into helping procure the same freedom for my

fiancee shane bauer and for my friend josh fattal because i can't enjoy my freedom without them. they should be standing here with me. they deserve -- they don't deserve to be in prison a minute longer than i do. >> gives me the chills hearing that. that's sarah shourd that woke up today a free woman in oman after a tearful reunion with her mother. she is appealing directly to iran to extend the same compassion shown to her unto to josh fattal and fiancee shane bauer. josh and shane's detention publicly extended at least for another two months. all three are now officially charged with espionage. nbc's jim mecida live in london. jim, let's start first with details of sarah's release. have we learned anymore today? >> reporter: hi, norah. we don't know a lot more. today at least we have heard from teheran's chief prosecutor

saying that the announce of the bail believed to be, and i repeat believed to be $500,000 also not officially confirmed and will arrive later this week in oman proper after muslim holidays. who actually paid the bail money, that's still unclear but omani officials anonymously saying that the bail deal did not break any u.s. or iranian laws and no breaking of u.s. sanctions against iran. now, it'sen clear about how long sarah shourd will be in oman. expected to see and may have already seen a doctor today and again, low profile. she does have a couple of serious medicalishes and could have been simply a routine check-up after spending more than a year in the prison. >> that's right. she was concerned about a lump in her breast which was part of the reason they released her. this is also, of course, i think it bears repeating, an

international incident. of course, a lot of iranian and u.s. relations. the state department spokesman said this on twitter. president ahmadinejad, want to show some goodwill to the american people? bring shane bauer and josh fattal home next week when you visit the u.n. that message repeated by shane bauer's mother repeated on "today." let's listen to that. >> please, please, please release josh and shane. now we can say, sarah is home. president ahmadinejad is coming to the united states for the u.n. general assembly. we welcome him to the united states. and again, as we asked last year, but this year, with even more you are sen ji, we say please bring josh fattal, shane bauer home to the united states and to us, to their mothers. >> jim, is there any indication that ahmadinejad would do that and if he did would that be handing him a public relations stunt? i mean, a prize to sort of do

that. >> reporter: well, it certainly would if he were bold enough and if he had enough power back home in teheran to pull that off. remember, there are a lot of people in his own conservative sector of the political spectrum there that would not want him to do that. and who have been sticking a lot of obstacles in the way of this release to begin with and why it's a to'g and fro'g 24 to 48 hours. officials say he needs a goodwill gesture and would be astounding to bring them back. this release is cleverly timed, however, given the meeting next week and the kind of opposition and criticism that comes out of the united nations on a daily basis. back to you. >> no doubt. jim, good to see you. thanks so much. >> good to see you. and turning now to a true american hero.

army staff sergeant salvatore giunta will be the first living service member to receive the medal of honor for any conflict since the vietnam war. it is the country's highest military decoration and it is for those that risk their lives beyond the call of duty. moments ago he said he was just doing his joba. >> in this job, i am only mediocre. i'm advantage. this was a situation that we were put into and by no means did i do anything that anyone else wouldn't have done in that situation. >> msnbc military analyst colonel jack jacobs earned the medal of honor for heroism in the war in vietnam. what a good man here as he is talking about that he's mediocre, so humble saying wh i

didn't do anything that anyone wouldn't have. he saw two insurgents carrying away a wounded soldier and went out to return fire and now recognized for that. right? >> yeah. and his -- i apologize. i have the tail end of a cold. he expresses the feelings of all medal of honor recipients, indeed i think all people recognized for combat valor. they were only doing their job. they didn't think they were doing anything extraordinary. that's what a soldier does. they still think like that today. there's a recipient of brian thacker living in and around washington, d.c. for action in vietnam. he said, you know, there are three grieving mothers still whose sons were every bit as brave as i. i think you'll get that same sort of feeling from everybody who gets recognized. >> no doubt. and sergeant giunta has said that -- but this is in bittersweet in many ways because

so many of his brothers are not alive. in fact, some were lost in that particular fire fight that he's been awarded for. >> yeah. i'll tell you something else interesting about his particular action. it is not really inside baseball but it's really -- it points up his bravery more than anything else at all. when you get caught in an ambush, you're taught that the only way that you can -- you possibly have a chance of escaping is to attack back into the ambush. that takes extraordinary bravery. that's exactly what sergeant giunta did. >> well said. colonel jack jacobs, thank you so much as always. we appreciate it. get better soon with that cold. >> thank you. and remember those threats against congressional democrats who voted against health care reform? well, five months later they're still standing. virtually unscathed. later, d.c. schools ka s chancellor with a new mayor in

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i predict, david, by november, those who voted for health care will find it asset. those that voted against it will find it a liability. >> well, is it a assn asset or liability? there was a message in the spring, voting against health care could come with a heavy price. the primary results are in and it was a clean sweep. every democratic congressman who voted against the bill is still in the running to keep their seat. john harris, editor and chief of politico joins us now. was schumer wrong? >> it was the dog that didn't bite. there was barking with liberal activists and including many in the labor movement saying hey, you, you go soft on health care you will pay but, in fact, you won't pay. the politicians who voted

against it, the democrats are not paying a price. some of them had challenges in the primaries. they all survived the primaries and many cases, most of the cases that challenge never materialized. >> okay. so what about those that voted for this landmark health care reform? we know, of course, a lot of democrats are in danger but is health care the reason or is it the economy? >> you know, there's an argument, certainly, about that. i think the white house and many democratic operatives think the economy is the problem. almost 10% unemployment. voters are angry and take it out on the incumbent party but it is clearly notable that virtually no one is running pro-health care ads. democrats who are proud of their accomplishment and who were vigorously in favor of health care reform, they're not trumpeting this. maybe privately proud but not publicly proud. they don't want to run on health care in this general election.

>> and john, finally, let me ask you about, wow, what a big primary night last night. many people shocked and stunned. surprised by it all. and christine o'donnell got a pretty big win, even though karl rove said last night that she's nutty and he questioned her character and she's talking today about political cannibalism. sounds like that the national republican senatorial committee has had a change of heart. they're now endorsing and sending her money. is it a change of heart or just they were slow to put forward -- >> she is the winner and clearly many of the conservative activists who supported her were outraged a the what karl rove said critical of her nomination. outraged at the fact that the republican senatorial committee was not behind her. and so, when's happened -- this is a litmus test. are you for her or against her? many establishment republicans are trying to pass this litmus

test with conservatives and sort of bending over backwards to say we support o'donnell and what jon cornyn head of the republican committee in the senate did today, endorsed her an give a check. >> yep. and newt gingrich and mitt romney, we know sarah palin's behind her. we'll see about the rest of those considering running for president in 2012. john harris, good to see you. thanks so much. >> see you soon. coming up, anti-washington, ant ant anti-establishment. we have learned what the tea party stands against this sicyc. what does the party stand for? what about the shifting face of the republican party? ♪ ♪ [ mom ] game time is all about the traditions. it's all about the tackles and the touchdowns... and watching my boys do what they do. but for me, it's even more than that.

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chain of storms making their way across the atlantic. retired coast guard admiral allen will step down. he said the relief well could be completed within the last four days. and outgoing bp ceo tony hayward back in the hot seat today this time before the house of commons in london today about the company's deepwater drilling operations. bob dudley will officially replace him october 1st. fda holding a hearing in maryland about the diet drug meridio. opponents have concerns about the safety and side effects. more than a decade since a pill for weight loss is approved. and for just the third time in history, d.c. residents ousted a sitting mayor. adrian fenty lost the bid last night as another inqucumbent bis the dust, they're wondering if

aggressive reform effort is in jeopardy. michelle rhee is chancellor of the d.c. public schools. joins us. chancellor rhee, michelle, what about that? nationally people are looking at the outcome of this mayoral primary saying this is a set back for national education reform. do you agree? >> i don't think it has to be at all. i think reformers across the country knew when the mayor and i took the aggressive reforms on it was going to be a tremendous amount of opposition to the very difficult decisions we were making and so i think if anything people should see this and understand how hard the work is and that we have to fight all the harder to make sure that we're doing right by our kids. >> i know how strongly you feel about that, that's why you're willing to tackle what are some of the really hard issues that exist out there. will you say? >> well, i think obviously

yesterday was a -- it was a significant change in direction. and it's going to require me sitting down with mayor fenty, with the chairman and lots of other people the sort of determine what we think is right for the school district and best for our kids. >> do you expect that vincent gray will ask you to stay? >> i can't make any speculations about that. but i'm looking forward to sitting down with the chairman. >> let me ask you personally because people say that mayor fenty who took on the -- along with you took on some of the teachers and the union in this that you were part of the reason he lost. what do you think about that? >> well, i think without a doubt. >> right. >> i just want to be real about this. as i talk to people throughout the city, as i heard -- watched the news and heard what people said, a lot of times people say, why don't you support the mayor? people say, well, because he was closing down schools or firing

teachers and it was on the top of people's minds and it certainly was something i think that cost him some political capital over the last three and a half years. >> because there are many people that look now at what's happened in the primary and know you and the efforts that you have made to try to reform the education system and said you know what? the people get what they deserve then which is a nasty thing i think to say about that. but i mean, what is it then? was it a failure to communicate what you were doing? were the changes so quick, so tough that people didn't understand? what was it? >> you know, i think that the reforms that we tried to put in place and the pace at which we did so were really unprecedented and we didn't know coming in the impact that it was going to have. >> you were firing teachers. >> yes, absolutely. >> you were closing schools. >> absolutely. we were doing it at a clip that nobody had ever done it at before and i think that if anything i hope that education reformers across the country can learn from the experiences that

we have had here in d.c. >> this comes, of course, just as the new movie is premiering, waiting for superman which is about reforming our education system here in the united states. i want to play a clip from that in which you're featured. >> you wake up every morning and you know that kids are getting really a crappy education right now. >> you think most of the kids here are getting a crappy education right now? >> i don't think they are. i know they are. >> and, you know, it is hard and it's moving to sort of say we know kids are getting a crappy education, and yet, does it demoralize you at all knowing that all you have done, that the person that helped you champion and put you in this place to do that is rejected by the people who live here? >> i -- that's a great question. i mean, and i do -- do feel sort of somewhat bad and guilty.

i mean, this man -- adrian fenty is truly the best leader i have ever worked for and he is literally only politician that i have ever met who operated in a way that -- where he said, you know, politics aside, we'll always make decisions in the best interests of kids. and, the fact that we didn't do as good of a job as i think we could have in communicating sort of why we were making the decisions we did that sort of led people to be suspicious of the actions, et cetera, i think is unfortunate. but at the same time, what i'm very clear about is that we need more leaders like him who are willing to stake everything to make sure that kids are getting a great education. >> right. well, i hope that you're not demoid demoralized and i think people that rooting for our kids and understand change and people hoping there's a way you and vincent gray can meet over lunch and he can beg you to stay or

you can beg him to keep you because our kids don't deserve a crappy education and do you hope that this change, too, could affect change? >> absolutely. i don't feel demoralized at all. i, you know, feel for the mayor. and the position that he is now in. but i don't want anyone to sort of take -- >> will the film affect change? >> absolutely. i think that without a doubt when america goes to watch this movie, they will just be heartbroken and seeing what's happening to children across the nation in our public schools and hopefully it will spur them on to action. >> all right. well michelle rhee, chancellor of the d.c. public school system, great to talk to you as always and hope to see you more. >> absolutely, thanks. >> join the networks for the two-day summit shining a spotlight on education in america. education nation, that is starting september 26th right here on msnbc. and this is "andrea mitchell

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the power of the tea party. shaking up the republican establishment with christine o'donnell's stunning upset in delaware last night and tea party-backed candidates making it clear what they stand against but is there still widespread uncertainty of what the movement stands for. lisa miller is founder of tea party wdc and joins us now. good to see you. >> thank you. >> racking up a number of victories. to be clear, what does the tea party stand for that's different from perhaps some of the other republicans that were running? >> well, we represent fiscal responsibility, competitive markets and constitutionally limited government. and not only do you have to have the talking points but you need the bullet points to get legislation changed, budgets cut and free markets opened up. >> so, lisa, let me ask that.

if the tea party is for fiscal responsibility how can you tout endorse and have a candidate like christine o'donnell who does not practice financial responsibility in her own personal life? >> well, i'm a single parent and i started my own business and you have a progressive tax ladder that's very, very difficult to climb. which is one of the reasons why the american dream is e evaporating. she's getting the job done in regards to addressing any of her past mistakes. same with other candidates. i think a lot of people never intended to go into politics and, you know, people make mistakes. i think there are only two people in the history of man kind that are without sin, if you will. and i look to people who amend their actions and move forward. >> so it doesn't bother you that she as you're talking about one of the main tenants of the tea party is demanding fiscal

responsibility that your star candidate that won last night only made $5,000, unclear where she makes the money, a lean by the irs, she was sued by the college for not paying back bills. none of those things bother you? >> well, one of the things that you got to remember about the tea party is we have a deep well of candidates. i have every expectation that christine o'donnell will serve us well. but they're going to be plenty of people behind her to support her to help her get legislation -- >> well, i hear you, lisa. i'm questioning you yochlt guys are driving purity in the republican party. no more rhinos. no more people like congressman mike castle. they must be pure on these issues. they cannot support choice. they cannot be for gun control and yet you have a candidate you tout as someone to go to washington -- just asking you to defend here and bring fiscal responsibility to government when she has a record, a pretty

long record of a lack of financial responsibility. >> well, maybe you've never lived without money but i look at charlie rangel that didn't pay his taxes until he got caught and the administration hiring people that don't pay their taxes, period. that's such a contemptuous view -- >> other people do it? >> no, no, no. i'm a catholic so i look at whether people are amending their mistakes. clearly, they are. and so, she's made clear what her platform is. i hope and pray that she'll continue to be fiscally responsible in her personal life as well as in the public trust. but -- and then i really don't have any doubts about this. >> lisa, let me just ask you about, you know, there have been a number of establishment republicans who have been slow to recognize the strength of the tea party movement and delaware is an example. even the state chair of that

state said that she was delusional, christine o'donnell. she couldn't be elected dogcatcher. what's your message to those republicans? >> they don't know what's going on in america and what we have to live through day in and day out and never lived through that climb through the progressive tax tax ladder. it is the most discouraging, disincentive to be successful that i know of. things in america have to change. and they need fundamental change and we need people who have courage and one thing i can say about christine o'donnell is she really put herself out there. and she's obviously putting herself up to vilify case for what i consider fairly minor mistakes because she is amending them. same could be said for carl paladino but the man has heart. both of them do. and people are rallying to their

actual concrete plan to limit government. >> okay. lisa miller and thank you for that. and you are right that christine o'donnell has repaid the college suing her and then gotten that lien removed by the judgment by the irs removed and just getting news in now. associated press is reporting that new hampshire has now certified kelly ayotte as the winning of the party of the u.s. senate and faced a challenge from a tea party candidate, it was a very narrow victory. you can see there, less than 1.5%, i believe, if i'm sort of -- no. more than 1.5% there. there was a question earlier today talking to anyone officials whether it goes into a runoff and a ballot challenge but looks like now the associated press is declaring her the victor. we had a big night last night, a lot of these primaries, so let's

discuss it now with democratic strategist steve mcmahon and republican strat jik ron bonjean. you were sitting here through my interview with lisa miller. what is your sense about that with christine o'donnell? is she a flawed candidate or really represent what are the angers and fears of so many voters out there? >> i think it is a combination of both. i think she's a flawed candidate and has several character issues. to republican, you know, to republican watchers, pollsters. we don't believe she's electable in delaware. we have just lost a senate seat to those who may have not liked some of mike castle's votes and believe there's more -- should be more fiscal responsibility but in the end they're electing a senate democrat and electing a democrat to the senate for more spending. however, we are running the table. republicans are up in seven states. we have two in the margins and three in the margins, actually,

and then another two democrats that are in single digits so, you know, while we are disappointed and shocked by last night, it is okay. we don't have that but getting everything else. >> what i was trying to get from lisa miller, we understand what they're against but i was trying to get what the tea party is for. is it clear to you what they're for? >> i think the tea party and republicans, you know, the mainstream republicans for the same things. for fiscal responsibility, accountability. they're looking to enforce it and they're doing it through these primaries. in delaware, it was mur of an ego flex than it was reality because everybody knew that o'donnell -- everybody knows o'donnell's probably not going to win in november. >> yeah. now the democrats may be able to hold on to joe biden's seat. steve, republicans that i spoke with today sort of said, oh, the democratic party is really trying to sugar coat this whole thing and feeling all good today but the truth of the matter is as ron was alluding to in seven democratic seats, according to

real clear politics that the republicans are up. they're in the margin of victory in california, nevada and wisconsin. three more states and in single single digits in connecticut and west virginia. the republicans are still going to have a very good night on election night, right? >> yeah. the republicans are going to have a good night, but what the tea party has done to the republicans is it's taken competitive races off the field and removed them into a more competitive position for the democrats. i'll give you a couple of examples. in nevada, harry reid was in serious trouble until a tea party candidate was nominated. in kentucky, the republicans shouldn't have to defend kentucky. but because there's a tea party candidate there -- >> a lot of people assumed mike castle was going to win last night. >> a lot of people said mike castle was going to win, but now the democrats are probably going to win that general. and if lisa markowski runs as an independent, the republicans will probably win there. but what they need to do is take

a look at the seats that are now back in play or where democrats have an advantage because of the tea party movement, disrupting their primaries and frankly disrupting america. >> all right. we're out of time. it's a great discussion. it's great to see both of you. coming up, what political story will make headlines in the next 24 hours? that's next. gecko water bottle... notebook... chamois... gecko: sir, i feel a little bit uncomfortable with all... you know... with all this. i mean, it's not about me. should be about how geico's the third-largest car insurance company in the nation. things like that. boss: oh, of course! we're not gonna get carried away. gecko: uh...yeah... all right as long as we don't overdo it. vo: geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. like 100% whole grain, the way triscuit does, you always end up with something delicious. ♪ triscuit. weave some goodness.

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coming up tonight on the rachel madow show, rachel sits down with vice president joe biden. you can bet he'll weigh in on his only senate seat. >> and which political story will make headlines in the next 24 hours? chris, author of the fixed blog, what's your number one pick? >> president obama, remember him, is going to connect kebt, my home state, gratuitous mention tomorrow to raise money

for dick blumenthal. he's running for the senate. he's been the attorney general for 20 years. but a poll came out yesterday that showed he's in a six-point race with linda mcmahon, the professional wrestling conglomerate. it's an interesting race to watch because dick blunen thal does not have the greatest record to be running right now. >> chris, we're out of time, but thanks so much for joining us. appreciate it. it's a jam packed showed today, of course. lots of big news in the primaries so we'll see you soon. tomorrow on the show, senator john kerry and my colleague, thomas robert is up next. thomas. >> hi, nora. coming up in our next hour, now that the tea party has scored major upsets in yesterday's primaries, what can the democrats and tea party expect come november?

michael will weigh in on that one. federal prosecutors arrest a man for unwittingly funding the plot to bomb new york's times squares. and rory kennedy follows undocumented immigrants through their journey. she's going to be here with her very personal look joining me talking about illegal immigration. ust me. trust me. ya i like that. trust me.

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hi, everybody. i'm thomas roberts. right now on msnbc, party cra crashers. what does tea party wins mean for republicans trying to win senate control in november and for democrats who are trying to keep it? the money trail, the feds zero in on a new york city man that feds say funded the times square bomber. then, luke, give me your money. what police are calling one of the world's dumbest criminals. great to have you